Techno-Economic Design and Performance Assessment of Solar Energy Systems for Rural Electrification and Agricultural Applications

This study presents a technical assessment of solar energy systems for integrated agricultural use and rural electrification. A model village comprising 30 households was considered, and high-resolution hourly load profiles were developed to characterize consumption dynamics, including peak demand and sectoral distribution across residential, agricultural, public, healthcare, and commercial users. A 60 kW photovoltaic (PV) system was designed in conjunction with an independent solar thermal installation for hot water supply. The system configuration was established through component sizing and numerical modeling, incorporating heat transfer mechanisms and operational constraints. Time-dependent simulations performed in MATLAB (R2022b) evaluated PV power output, battery storage cycling, and thermal system performance over a 24-h horizon. A comparative analysis of standalone PV, hybrid PV/T, and decoupled PV–thermal configurations was conducted based on performance and operational criteria. The results indicate that separated electrical and thermal subsystems achieve improved cost-effectiveness, enhanced reliability, and reduced maintenance requirements. The proposed approach demonstrates the technical viability of solar-based energy systems for rural applications, supporting energy autonomy, reduced fossil fuel dependence, and sustainable agricultural development.